This application relates generally to devices for preventing a thief from entering a motor vehicle, particularly a van or truck, through the vent window.
Most vans and trucks have vent windows which are locked only by a latch pivoted to the vent window and capable of being levered against the frame of the vent window. Although vehicles have conventional barrel locks that discourage or inhibit thieves, vent windows are left comparatively unprotected against even nonprofessional thieves. The method of entry is simply to insert a screwdriver, a knife, or other similar flat tool under the bottom of the vent window, work the tool through to the interior of the vehicle, and then lift the free end of the latch so as to rotate it back to its vertical, or unlocked position. This action can be accomplished in three or four seconds even by amateur thieves. Once the vent window is unlocked, the window can be swung open thus making the door handle or window regulator handle accessible to the thief. It can be said that latch locks have been found to be totally inadequate to securing a vent window. Many vent latch locks are provided with push-button released devices, but these serve only to slow down an experienced thief for a few seconds.
There have been a number of devices invented that are intended to alleviate the inadequacy of vent window latch locks. Once a thief encounters a device that acts to slow up his efforts to gain entry, he often simply resorts to smashing the vent window since this will give him access to the latch lock which he can then rotate to completely open the vent window. The direct method of placing a protective steel screen, or mesh, over the vent window and welding or bolting the mesh to the window frame of the front door has several disadvantages. One is that the welding or bolting process must be done by a skilled technician with a resulting high installation cost. A second is that once a mesh is welded or bolted to a vent window, future use of the window is for practical purposes prevented. Yet another disadvantage is that the owner can remove the welded mesh only at the undesirable result of permanently damaging the vehicle.
Prior art devices in this field include U.S. Pat. No. 3,722,935 issued to Latib on Mar. 27, 1973 and entitled "Locking Devices for Vehicle Vent Windows," which discloses a housing having a lip adapted to be received in the groove of the vertical rearward frame of the vent window and means for removably locking the housing to the frame. The Latib device does not provide a mesh cover for the vent window. Once the vent window is broken, the device can easily be defeated in a similar manner to defeating the latch lock. Thus, its principle advantage of disallowing screwdriver insertion and manipulation of the lock is easily overcome by direct action of a thief.
Another device is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,268,071 issued May 19, 1981 to Hibbert and entitled "Window Lever Lock." Here, a vent window locking lever is locked into its locking mode by the device of the invention. A swing member provided with a U-shaped member connected to a hook can be swung down and screwed into a base member after the vent window locking lever has been engaged by the hook in the locking mode. Again, this device can be defeated by the simple maneuver of smashing the vent window. There would be some pause in time until the locking screw of the device was unscrewed.
Finally, the applicant herein presently has a locking device for vent windows on application on file entitled, Vent Window Securing Device for Vans & Trucks, application Ser. No. 06/663,661, filed 10/19/84.